UK-based gold producer Hummingbird Resources has announced the first gold pour at the Kouroussa Gold Mine in Guinea, ahead of its schedule and within the budget.
With the commissioning commenced last month, Kouroussa is planned to be advanced to commercial production in the second half of this year.
Kouroussa is a high-grade, low-cost mine, estimated to produce an average of 120,000 to 140,000 ounces (oz) of gold for the first three years of commercial production.
It the company’s second operating gold asset in West Africa, and is anticipated to produce an average of 100,000 oz per annum over the current life of mine.
Hummingbird will continue mining during second half of this year, in preparation for name plate production, with a ROM pad stockpile currently of 120,000 tonnes available for on-going commissioning and ramp-up.
Hummingbird CEO Dan Betts said: “The achievement of first gold pour at our second operating mine, Kouroussa in Guinea, is a major strategic milestone for the company, transforming Hummingbird into a multi-asset, multi-jurisdiction gold producer, that more than doubles our production profile to 200,000+ oz pa.
“Kouroussa is the second mine Hummingbird has built on time and on budget, made up of a construction team of African and predominately (80%) Guinean personnel.
“I would like to thank all our dedicated Kouroussa project team and multiple construction partners in achieving this outstanding outcome. Our operations team is now focussed on safely ramping up towards name plate production, expected during H2-2023.”
The Kouroussa processing plant will have a capacity to process one million tonne per annum (Mtpa) standard carbon-in-leach (CIL).
Hummingbird has implemented comprehensive community engagement plans, including daily, monthly and quarterly meetings with local communities and local authorities.
The engagement covered various topics, such as project progress, recruitment, local content, environmental monitoring, and health and safety.
Furthermore, the company will implement detailed community project and livelihood restoration programmes, as the mine becomes fully operational.
Hummingbird Resources is gold producing company that currently has two projects, the operational Yanfolila Gold Mine in Mali, and the Kouroussa Gold Mine in Guinea.
The company also holds controlling stake in the Dugbe Gold Project in Liberia that is being developed by joint venture partners, Pasofino Gold.
